In conjunction with the opening of 'Savage Beauty' at the V&A in March 2015, SHOWstudio celebrates the life of the late Lee McQueen and his fruitful bond with Nick Knight. Knight has filmed all of his photoshoots since the late eighties and, for the first time, reveals hidden gems from his archive to the public. Key bits of unseen McQueen footage are revealed throughout the exhibition's duration.

About

SHOWstudio founder and acclaimed image-maker Nick Knight has filmed all of his photoshoots since the late eighties. In his extensive personal archive sits footage of some of his most iconic shoots - from Dior campaigns with John Galliano to pioneering editorials for the likes of Visionaire and Vogue. In a very special initiative, Knight will reveal a run of previously unseen gems from this extensive archive to the public as a means of celebrating his longterm working relationship with the late Lee McQueen. The SHOWstudio team and Knight's photographic assistants have spent months searching through endless tapes and days of footage, digitalising early work and editing their finds into beautiful films.

Launching in conjunction with the opening of Savage Beauty at the V&A, London on 14 March 2015, SHOWstudio's Unseen McQueen series will celebrate the life and work of the late designer by revealing previously unreleased interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from some of his most iconic projects. Knight's relationship with McQueen, who passed away in February 2010, began formally in 1996, when the two collaborated on a series of images for the Florence Biennale, though the pair had met previously at events and McQueen had begun to send Knight an annual Christmas fax. For Spring/Summer 2010, SHOWstudio famously live-streamed Plato's Atlanis, McQueen's final collection before his death.

Footage to be released as part of Unseen McQueen includes a candid interview with McQueen, filmed at the early stages of his career in 1998, footage of Knight shooting McQueen for the April 1998 cover of The Face (a now iconic image) and a video of Knight, Katy England, Michael Clark and McQueen collaborating on the unforgettable Blade of Light image featuring clothing from the Deliverance collection from Spring/Summer 2004, which famously drew inspiration from 1969 Sydney Pollack film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?

One piece of unseen footage will be revealed each day from 13 - 19 March 2015, and again from 27 - 29 July 2015. To explain and unpick the footage, SHOWstudio editor Lou Stoppard will interview Knight about each new release, shedding light on their working relationship, McQueen as a man and the vision and ideas behind their collaborations. Theory and analysis on themes pertaining to McQueen's life and legacy - from his love of spectacle and commitment to pushing the boundaries of fashion presentation to the nature of the fashion exhibition - will also be offered through interviews with those who worked with McQueen and experts who have studied his work.